STUDENT ATTENDENCE AND PUNCTUALITY

Attendance refers to the total number of school days attended by the student during the school year based on the School calendar.

Purpose

To ensure that students are attending all classes and activities that result in their understanding of the curriculum and the subjects being taught.
To set out expectations in relation to full attendance at School by all students without exception, through a clear policy and effective communication with ParentsGuardians.

Aim

Basic requirements and responsibilities in relation to students’ attendance at School are as follows and
reflected in the school’s attendance policy:

Students are expected to attend every school day as specified in the school calendar.
Students shall arrive at School punctually every day, attend morning assembly and classes on time.
Teachers shall maintain a record of attendance by students. This will be taken at the beginning of the school day. Students are expected to arrive at school before 07.45am.
The school day starts for FS2 to Year 13 students attending an assembly, to sing the National Anthem of the UAE and to hear a recital from the Qu ‘ran.
The school maintains accurate daily attendance data for each student, including timely or late arrival to School. The person responsible for attendance data is the school’s Attendance Officer/Social Worker.
The Attendance Officer is responsible for sharing attendance data (daily/weekly/monthly/termly/annual) to the Senior Leadership Team and for communicating with teachers and Key Stage Coordinators
The Principal is the only person with the authority to authorise attendance, as per the criteria laid out in ADEK’s Student Administrative Affairs Policy. In the absence of the Principal, the Vice Principal has the authority to authorise absence, providing the absence meets ADEK criteria
Parents / Guardians will make every effort to ensure that their children attend every school day and arrive on time for a 07.45am start.
If students need to be absent from School for a particular day, parents/Guardians must inform the school before 07.45am on the day of the absence. Parents are requested to send an email to their class (primary) or form (secondary) teacher to notify of absence, including the reason for the absence, copying in the Attendance Officer.
If a student is absent from school, parents must contact the class/form tutor before 07.45am stating the reason for the absence.
If parents do not notify the school of the absence, or provide a reasonable reason for the absence, the Attendance Officer will send an SMS/SchoolVoice message to notify parents of the absence and request the reason for the absence.
Students are responsible for completing all assignments missed during an absence that is authorised.
In line with the ADEK Attendance policy, family vacations must take place during scheduled School holidays.

Absence

Absence refers to the days when students fail to attend School. A student who does not miss a single class throughout the year is said to have a 100% attendance record. Absence rates lower than 95% should be regarded as a cause for concern.

ADEK Attendance policy requires schools to achieve low absence rates by:

Following up on all unexplained absences immediately. This is done through SMS/SchoolVoice by the Attendance Officer.
Providing a safe, caring, and engaging learning environment that encourages and stimulates students. This is achieved through Attendance celebrations, for individual students and class rewards.
Recognising and rewarding excellent or improved student attendance. This is achieved through monthly recognition and rewards for classes and individual students.
Implementing strategies and programs to address attendance problems for individual students.
Providing clear and specific information about the rules and consequences of poor attendance to Parents/Guardians, students and School staff.

Authorised Absences

The following types of absences may be regarded as authorised when confirmed by a signed letter from Parents/Guardians or by way of official documents:

Schools are authorised to approve the following types of absences, provided they are supported by a signed letter from parents or official documents from appropriate authorities:

Illness.
Death of a first- or second-degree relative.
Medical appointment scheduled prior to the absence.
Official community task.
Mandatory appearance before an official body.
Essential urgent family travel for matters such as medical care, escort leave, or a death in the family.
Attendance of conferences, competitions, and events, with the permission of the Principal (e.g., Model United Nations, sports events, Olympiads).
Work in the entertainment industry.
Observation of religious holidays that are not defined as public holidays in the UAE.
Examination leave (for board and pre-collegiate examinations only, when approved by ADEK).
Study leave (up to 4 weeks annually for board and pre-collegiate examinations only, when approved by ADEK).
a) Schools shall remain open for learning during study leave and shall ensure that adequate support is provided to students who are not taking leave.
Leave for medical or therapeutic reasons for students with additional learning needs.
Government-approved school closures due to extreme weather conditions.

Unauthorised Absences

The following types of absences are to be regarded as unauthorised:

Shopping trips.
Unnecessary travel.
Other types of absences not included in the authorised absences list.

Students are considered truant if they are absent from School without their Parents’/Guardians’ knowledge or consent, or if Parents/Guardians have colluded with the student so that they are absent without authorisation.

Schools must immediately inform the student’s Parents/Guardians of incidents of unauthorised absences. This is done through the school voice communication app.

Attendance as a Cause of Educational Risk
(Intervention Mechanism for Students at Educational Risk)

Schools are authorised to identify any students with low attendance as “students at educational risk”.

Schools shall work with the concerned students and their parents to implement an intervention plan in line with the ADEK School Educational Risk Policy

School Attendance Officer/Champion

The School Attendance Officer for the academic year 2024-25 is Ms Lavanya Dinakaran.

The School Attendance Officer issues the daily SchoolVoice message to parents notifying them that their child is absent from school and asking for the reasons for the absence.

The School Attendance Officer, together with Key Stage coordinators/Heads of Phase, monitors daily, weekly, monthly and termly attendance and follows up with students causing concern.

Fog, Rain, Inclement Weather

School administration will excuse students for being late in the morning during days when there are adverse weather conditions (e.g., heavy fog), when the adverse weather has been notified by the Integrated Transport Centre.

Attendance Monitoring and Evaluation

The school target for 2024-25 is 95%

The school will collect, analyse and report on attendance data internally on a weekly basis and on a termly basis. Daily reports of attendance are generated through the ERP system.

A target for improving attendance rates and evaluation of the success of the policy will be carried out annually. This will be addressed in the School Development Plan.

Departmental and year groups will discuss attendance and punctuality at weekly meetings and minute actions taken to address poor attendance and punctuality for individual Students including, e-mails, meeting with parents, meetings with key staff such as POD or HOD/SLT.

Recording Lateness – Procedure

Students are expected to be at school for a 7.45 a.m. start.
Students entering school after 7.45 a.m. will be met by the school’s Attendance Officer and senior school leader, to record the late arrival

Late Arrivals: Consequences

Late arrivals are considered, under ADEK policy, to be an act of Misconduct

Where a student is late on three or more occasions within an academic year, schools shall undertake the appropriate course of action in line with the ADEK School Student Behaviour Policy.

Schools shall ensure that their Misconduct Policy and Procedures distinguish between the different levels of misconduct outlined in Article 7 of Ministerial Resolution No. (851) of 2018 Concerning the Code of Behaviour Management for Students in General Education Institutions (MoE, 2018):

As per ADEK Policy (Student Behaviour) Late Arrivals are dealt with in the following process:

First Late arrival - Verbal Warning Discuss the expected change in behaviour with the student.

Second Late arrival - Written Warning: Notify the parent in writing about the student’s misconduct.

Third Late Arrival - Written Warning: Notify the parent in writing and hold meeting(s) with them to agree on a reasonable joint home-and-school strategy. The parent is required to sign an undertaking to support the agreed strategy.

More than Three Times - Written Warning: Notify the parent in writing and summon the parent together with the Behavioural Management Committee to agree on how to implement a set of strategies aiming at reducing the negative behaviour.

Persistent Late Arrival

Late arrivals are dealt with under ADEK’s Student Behaviour policy. ADEK have set a limit of 3 x late arrivals, per student, per academic year.

Level One Offenses:

Being repeatedly late the morning assembly or failing to participate without an acceptable excuse.
Failing to attend classes on time repeatedly without an acceptable excuse.

Level One Consequences

Schools are permitted to use any of the following disciplinary actions, provided they are proportionate, age-appropriate, and in line with Figure 1. Staging of Disciplinary Procedures

h. Supervised detention during break, lunch…

Where a student is late two times in the same week, they will be asked to attend a Reflection session during first break. This Reflection session is supervised by senior school staff. Students are permitted to eat and drink during the reflection session. Parents will be notified when a student is late for school.

Administration of Attendance Process

ERP Attendance entry will be completed accurately by all Form/class teachers from 07.45am
A SchoolVoice message will be sent to parents if a student is recorded as absent without reason and/or if the reason is not authorised (with the exception of unexpected delays due to adverse weather e.g. fog conditions.)
A telephone call to parents from the School Attendance Officer is made for unexplained absences.